Reading Football Club have submitted plans to transform a golf club into their new training ground.

The Royals, who currently train in Hogwood Park, Arborfield, are hoping to move into the former 120-acre Bearwood Golf Club course in Mole Road, after buying the land last October.

The plans, which were submitted to Wokingham Borough Council on September 19, include levelling the ground to create three full-size team pitches to house the club’s first team and academy, five other pitches for use by under-18s and two goal-keeping practice areas.

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Work would also include extending and converting the golf course clubhouse, security gatehouse and visitors’ cafe at the course in Sindlesham.

A new training academy would be built in place of the existing riding stables and offices and players will also benefit from new changing rooms, a medical suite and a new gym.

The existing buildings will also be refurbished and rebuilt to create 26 residential units, a net increase of 18, with parking.

The Royals exchanged contracts with the Royal Merchant Navy School Foundation (RMNSF) for the Grade II* listed Bearwood Estate last year, including 60 acres of land used by golfers since 1975.

At the time, manager Nigel Adkins told The Wokingham Times: “We’re all moving lock, stock and barrel and I think that’s so important.

" If we want to be in the Premier League, these are the facilities we need to have. The club has come a hell of a long way and we’ve got to keep building on that.”

Golf club members believed the land was worth around £800,000, but understood the Reading FC bid to be around £1.4 million, a sum that crushed any hopes of golfers raising a rival sum, which led to the nine-hole course closing in March.

Mark Bradley, Reading Football Club spokesman, said the club would not be commenting on the planning applications ‘until there has been any developments and a decision has been made’.

Nigel Howe, the club’s chief executive, previously said: “We are striving to improve all aspects of the football club.

“As a club we aim to build, evolve and succeed so we need to move away from the current site at Hogwood, which we have outgrown.

“With the plans we have in place for the first team facility, and our desire to have the best possible Academy, this is a vital step and if all goes well then it can only be of benefit to the football club.”

For more information about Reading FC’s planning application visit www.wokingham.gov.uk and search for application F/2014/2119 in the ‘search planning applications’ section on the homepage.